The Voynich Manuscript

A high-quality reproduction of the Voynich Manuscript, that mysterious and still to this day undeciphered 15th or 16th century manuscript that has so fascinated its readers for so long. And I too am now fascinated by it! These new photographs of the original have been beautifully and clearly reproduced so that the book is a joy to “read”. I received the e-book version from NetGalley, but it’s very much a book I would love to have in hard-copy. The introductory information is informative and very useful, and the whole publication is a delight.

Having heard of this manuscript some time ago, I was keen to see it for myself. This edition offers an interesting Foreword by Dr. Skinner and an excellent Introduction by Dr Prinke and Dr Zandbergen. Both of these are vital since they illuminate what is known about the text and, more importantly, what isn't. Without reading these first, you would have no idea what you were looking at when you turn to the manuscript itself. As for the latter, it is obviously unreadable, but it is fascinating to flick through the pages and view the illustrations and text. I recommend this to readers interested in historic documents and those fascinated by cryptography.

The Voynich Manuscript is enigmatic, and this book is a great introduction. It's good to be able to access images of the manuscript all in one place.

A language no one can yet decipher. The Voynich Manuscript written in the 15th century has intrigued readers for hundreds of years. A foreword by Dr Skinner explains parallels to John Dee's Angel language and da Vinci's cryptography. While Dr Pinke and Dr Zandbergen ask readers to interpret the clues themselves. Not usually my type of book, yet I found myself wanting to know more. Stunning diagrams. Recommended.